BA (Hons) Festival and Event Management

BA (Hons) Festival and Event Management

About the course

Hoping to pursue a career in festival management? Got a passion for outdoor events? By focusing on practical event management techniques and established business theory, this hands-on festival and events management programme supports you to take theories learnt in the classroom and apply them to a range of live events.

The University’s approach to events and festival management starts with an emphasis on practical industry insights and transferable business management skills.

Students are supported by experienced staff as they seek out and undertake a minimum of 210 hours of practical work experience. These placements help students graduate with at least a basic level of on-the-job experience. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue work above and beyond these 210 hours – pitching for freelance work through our in-house Solent Creatives / Solent Works agencies and organising events around the city.

Practical insights are also gained on field trips. Past events management students have visited a range of agencies, industry exhibitions and commercial events. Students are encouraged to take part in national event management awards. In 2015, the University had two students reach the final of The Eventice, a major event management award. One of the pair took home the grand prize and the other secured employment as a result of the exposure.

These provisions are made possible by the course team’s extensive industry experience and Southampton Solent’s long history in the sector. The team maintain established links with festivals and specialist event businesses, and incorporate these connections into their teaching and research.

Manage real events, from nightlife entertainment and live performances to networking events and award ceremonies.

What does this course lead to?

This course has been designed to help students achieve one of two intended outcomes. The first involves students managing their own business and applying the knowledge gained throughout their degree in a way that helps the business grow.

Students will also be taught how to manage a portfolio career, where personal ventures are combined with part-time work or work within small to medium businesses, which are common in the events industry. Students may find themselves working with PR firms, event agencies, or as an in-house events specialist.

Who is this course for?

This is the ideal course for students who want to enter the world of professional events management while specialising in festivals and large outdoor events. Students should aspire to careers related to event planning, bookings, logistics or fundraising.

Facts and figures

UCAS codes

Full Time

3 Years Standard Entry N823

Placement (480 credit course)

5 Years Language Foundation Year 82NN

4 Years Standard Entry N822

5 Years Event and Tourism Foundation Year N8N2

5 Years Business Foundation Year N8N3

Fees and costs

Tuition fees

The tuition fees for the 2018/19 academic year are:UK, EU and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per yearInternational full-time fees: £12,500 per year UK, EU and Channel Island placement year fees: £1,385International placement year fees: £1,700

Other costs

While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.

Optional costs:BAFA professional body membership: £200+VAT

Bursaries and scholarships

Southampton Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.

Graduation costs

Graduation is the ceremony to celebrate the achievements of your studies. For graduates in 2017, there is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £42 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost.

Key entry requirements

112 UCAS tariff points from A-levels or equivalent

A minimum of two completed A-levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma at DMM or BTEC Diploma at D*D* or equivalent.

Grade 4 or above in GCSE English and Mathematics, or equivalent (previously grade C).

We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds. Applicants who are not in possession of the minimum entry requirements but are able to demonstrate aptitude, enthusiasm and motivation will be considered on an individual basis and may be admitted subject to satisfactory interview and/or portfolio. Please contact us for further details.

English language requirements

Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:

IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component

TOEFL IBT minimum 80 with a minimum of 19 in each individual component

or equivalent.

Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.

The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.

Note to all international students requiring a visa:

All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Southampton Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Southampton Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.

Key facts and indicators

Starting salary

£18,000

Average salary six months after the course.

Student support and services

Student welfare - Southampton Solent University is committed to giving you the best possible educational experience during your time with us. As such we have a number of support services and policies set up covering funding, careers and employability, chaplaincy, counselling, international advice, student affairs, key academic skills, disability support and...
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Student support and services

Student welfare - Southampton Solent University is committed to giving you the best possible educational experience during your time with us. As such we have a number of support services and policies set up covering funding, careers and employability, chaplaincy, counselling, international advice, student affairs, key academic skills, disability support and general student advice. Find out more about our approach to student welfare.

University facilities - You will have access to a modern, comfortable and efficient study environment, including the Mountbatten library and learning resource centres. Solent offers a wide variety of sports halls, gyms and sports equipment, plus superb IT, media, and cutting-edge specialist facilities. Find out more about our first-class facilities here.

Living in Southampton - Southampton is a modern, vibrant student city brimming with arts and culture, top high street brands, green spaces and a buzzing nightlife. Studying at Solent means that you’ll be at the very heart of it. Find out more about being a student in Southampton.

Solent Students’ Union - Run by students for students, Solent Students’ Union is on hand to offer independent advice and support while you’re at university. Visit the Students’ Union website for more information.

Study abroad

Students are encouraged to seek work experience at one of the many European festivals during their studies.
The Erasmus+ programme gives you the opportunity to spend between a term and a year of your course studying abroad at one of our partner universities, or undertaking a work placement for a company...
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Study abroad

Students are encouraged to seek work experience at one of the many European festivals during their studies.

The Erasmus+ programme gives you the opportunity to spend between a term and a year of your course studying abroad at one of our partner universities, or undertaking a work placement for a company in Europe.

If you are a student at one of our Erasmus partner institutions in Europe, then you may have the opportunity to come to the UK and study events management units at Solent for either a single term or a full academic year as part of your degree programme.

If you’re studying outside Europe, then you may be able to study with us as an exchange student if there is a partnership agreement in place. If you are studying at a university which does not have a partnership agreement with us, then you could apply to study at Solent under our Study Abroad programme.

Transferable skills

As well as helping students to develop general festival and event management knowledge, this course supports students to learn the interpersonal skills needed in order to be effective in a range of business roles. By taking part in live events, seminars and workshops students develop interpersonal, project management, communication, problem-solving, leadership,...
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Transferable skills

As well as helping students to develop general festival and event management knowledge, this course supports students to learn the interpersonal skills needed in order to be effective in a range of business roles. By taking part in live events, seminars and workshops students develop interpersonal, project management, communication, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork and IT skills. Students studying this programme also have the opportunity to study for a Prince2 project management qualification alongside their regular studies (pending payment of external fees). The programme offers an element of flexibility, allowing students to pick from a variety of optional units. These help students to tailor their education to suit the career path which they would eventually like to pursue. Students can also expect to develop a range of transferable business skills throughout the course.

Assessment

For some practical projects, students will be assessed on-site at an event that they have organised or managed.

Practical vs theory

The course combines lectures with practical festival and event-planning workshops. These workshops incorporate both group and individual working, and are supported by tutorials.
The course includes, on average, 12 hours of classroom time per week. However, you will be expected to undertake a further 12 hours of directed and independent study...
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Practical vs theory

The course combines lectures with practical festival and event-planning workshops. These workshops incorporate both group and individual working, and are supported by tutorials.

The course includes, on average, 12 hours of classroom time per week. However, you will be expected to undertake a further 12 hours of directed and independent study outside the classroom which includes time for completion of assessments. All learning is supported by access to the academic skills team and the course staff.

Students may also have the chance to attend guest lectures.

The industry

The events industry contributes £58.4 billion to the UKs GDP and is the UKs 16th biggest employer. In July 2015, in recognition of the contribution that events make to the UK economy, the Prime Minister announced the creation of a specialised events industry board. This board is tasked with furthering...
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The industry

The events industry contributes £58.4 billion to the UKs GDP and is the UKs 16th biggest employer. In July 2015, in recognition of the contribution that events make to the UK economy, the Prime Minister announced the creation of a specialised events industry board. This board is tasked with furthering the interests of this increasingly important area.

Southampton Solent’s festival and event management programme aims to help students position themselves as leaders in this growth sector, and helps ensure that they have enough knowledge to pursue graduate roles once the course is complete.

86%

of students overall, are satisfied with the quality of the course.

Study location

East Park Terrace

Got a question about this course?

How to apply

Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.

Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.

Your application should reach UCAS by January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until June. The UCAS code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.

The university cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.

Facilities

The course is classroom based, but the assessed festivals and events take place in suitable venues in the Southampton area.

Students are encouraged to make use of the 24 hour library throughout their studies. The library features a fully networked resource centre equipped with both Apple and Microsoft workstations and a selection of private group working spaces.

Optional modules enable students to build a degree that is best suited to their career ambitions.

Your future

88%

Of students go on to work and/ or study.

59%

Of students are in a professional or managerial role.

Industry links

Southampton Solent’s festival and event management curriculum was developed in collaboration with industry contacts. This helps ensure that the content is up to date and teaches the key skills that employers are looking for. The course team also have strong relationships with trade bodies such as the British Arts Festival Association (BAFA) and the Event and Visual Communication Association (EVCOM), as well as with the UK’s best known party planners ‘Themetraders’.

Previous years have seen events management students benefit from industry guest speakers. These include:

Holly Payton-Lombardo, a board member at BAFA,

Rachel Ley, a board member of EVCOM,

Bryn Parry, event management author and lecturer,

David Jamilly, CEO of Themetraders,

Matt James, industry professional and an Eventice judge,

and Andy Grove, Vice President of the National Outdoors Event Association (NOEA).

Placements

During the second year of the programme students will study a work-based professional studies unit. This unit is mandatory and requires students to have gained a minimum of 210 hours of work experience.

This may be either full-time in the summer or part-time over the course of the first year. Students studying on the placement year option are supported to find work experience by the course team and the University’s employability service.

Students are also offered a range of internal opportunities. For instance, during the second year, students are have the option to plan and deliver an Oscars themed event for the third year students. This includes the procurement of sponsorship and the logistics of booking and entertaining VIPs. Event students have also worked on SMILEfest, the University’s annual music industry conference. Past speakers included Marcus Russell, Oasis manager; Andy Coping, Vice President of Live Nation UK; and Rob da Bank, Bestival organiser.